Television sets didn’t always broadcast an HD picture. For years we watched our TV programs in digital or analog format, content, not knowing there was any other way to view them. We accepted the bland broadcast until we got wind of HD quality pictures. Then everything changed and we no longer were willing to have TV’s that weren’t technologically up to speed. We now expect our TV viewing to be ultra clear and vibrant, picking up imperfections and flaws. We want to feel like we are right inside the picture.
Well leadership is no different. We use to tolerate a very different model of leading that involved command and control and secrecy. Leaders often made all the decisions, relying little on their team’s input. Leadership was flat and lonely, uncaring of how team members viewed the vision or mission. We are now in a dynamic stage of leadership where each of us can lead from wherever we are. Titles and positions are far less important than what we choose to do to make a difference.
Here are four strategies to kick into Leadership HD:
1. BE CLEAR ABOUT THE DIRECTION
To lead and be influential, we need to communicate our vision and goals in a clear way.
- Explain your objectives with user-friendly language
- Give examples of the vision in action, so people can relate to it in a personal way
- Show your thought process in choosing a particular path
- Use different modalities to share your ideas: visual, auditory and kinesthetic
2. BE OPEN TO TEAM MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVES
To be a strong leader, one needs to be a strategic listener. What that means is clearing your mind and opening it up to new ideas and suggestions. Toss aside the past and welcome in new possibilities. Brainstorm with the team, avoiding judgmental comments or elimination of wild ideas. Tell people how much you value their input and perspective and then integrate the suggestions into the final plan.
[Tweet “When leaders are open to new possibilities, they kick their leadership into HD.”]
3. BE A DYNAMO
For people to connect with us we need to be interesting and engaging. We can do this by being enthusiastic about our choices. If you have a challenging goal and want to sell it, it’s important you do it in an energetic and exciting way. Think HD TV! Make your mission come alive by helping people experience where you are headed and why. Use visuals and sounds. Ask people to become ambassadors for the new launch.
[Tweet “To sell our ideas, leaders need to be engaging and dynamic.”]
4. BE TRUSTWORTHY AND VULNERABLE
Just like HD TV reveals all the imperfections on people’s faces and bodies, leaders need to reveal their insides. When leaders share their truths, they become authentic and human.
- Through powerful storytelling, share your mess-ups
- Be open about your fears of leading, especially not knowing whether others will come onboard
- Ask about concerns people may be feeling and take time to validate and address them
- Follow through on the suggestions offered to show how much you value them
How have you kicked your leadership into HD mode?
Excellent reminders Terri on how to kick into awesome leadership! Sharing with my community!
Thanks Cynthia! I appreciate you sharing the post!
Excellent post! There is real value in being interesting and teaching through really meaningful experiences.
Being open to sharing our good, bad and ugly can be so empowering to others and help our leadership kick into high gear.
Thanks Karin!
Hi Terri
I love this post!
It is so true—leadership has become much more transparent and those who still adhere to the old model of barking out orders and moving forward without team input are in danger of becoming dinosaurs.
I do think that the size of the organization matters, and as the org gets bigger, the more collaborative it needs to be. I’m arund a lot of startups in the Bay Area, and very often the founder(s) call all the shots. They have a vision and you, as an employee, either share it or not. If not, you move on.
That’s so interesting LaRae about start-ups. You would think they would rely on collaborative environments.In the early stages there is so much to gain from listening to other’s perspectives.
Showing our failures and missteps is so essential for leadership HD.
Thanks LaRae for adding your great comments!
I noticed that when old shows rerun that were not filmed in HD, it looks incredibly out of date… I almost can’t watch it because it’s so distracting. The same goes for leaders who never made the leap to adopt the practices you outline here… they too are outdated.
Look forward to sharing!
~ Alli
I agree that when people use old school leadership they are often not taken seriously or admired in any way.
I have been working on ways to help old school leaders transform into HD leaders. Sometimes seasoned leaders just need someone to show them more successful ways to share their ideas and choices. As long as leaders keep an open mind, they are able to leap into HD.
Thanks Alli for your insights!
Terri,
Key reminders. As new HD versions arrive, it takes awhile for certain channels or older content to catch up. Taking the time to ensure all are coming along is essential. For leaders, training, communicating, and engaging are key activities to remember when moving in new directions.
Thanks!
Jon
You make some great points, Jon, that there is a long catch up period in most organizations and leaders need to get on board too. Leadership first needs to embrace the HD model and then empower their teams to run with it. That might mean more collaboration, more meaningful work for all levels and learning to step outside comfort zones.
Thanks Jon! Great to hear from you!